Utah Climate Center Helps Educate Public about Inversion

LOGAN, UT – As Utah citizens urge lawmakers to pass legislation combating Utah’s pollution, the Utah Climate Center in the College of Agriculture at Utah State University continues to offer research and information about inversions and other weather phenomenon.

Dr. Robert Gillies, Director of the Utah Climate Center, said, “Many people who have actually called into the Climate Center … [are] soliciting advice about inversions, and really how to avoid them.” Dr. Gillies noted that while legislation is good, he would rather Utah residents “become educated and aware of what an inversion means for their health and their family’s health.”

Inversions are caused when a layer of warm air traps cold air below it, preventing pollutants from escaping the valley. This places all at risk, especially children, elderly and those with pre-existing respiratory conditions.

To aid Utahns and climate research, the Utah Climate Center uses a model to predict when inversions will occur. “We’ve had a model running for several years now that can predict inversions and the air quality during them, “ Martin Schroeder, Utah Climate Center meteorologist, said. These predications can be heard five times daily on Utah Public Radio.

While legislators decide on possible regulations, Utahns can take small steps to improve air quality by:

·Turning off vehicles while idling.

·Consider switching to a green power source offered by Rocky Mountain Power’s new Blue Sky program.

·Perform a quick and free energy audit on your home through utahcleanenergy.org